Telephone switchboard and circuit.



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F. L. GxLMAN & c. H. HERzlG. TELEPHUNE swncHoAn Ann cmcun.

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No. 668,044. Patented Feb. I2, IBOI. F. L. GILJMAN &. C. H. HEBZIG. TELEPHONE SWITCHBO'ARD AND CIRCUIT.

(Application led Nov. 6, 1900.) (No- Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

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FRANCIS L. GTLMAN, OF NEV BEDFORD, AND CHARLES H. IIERZIG, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE NEV ENGLAND TELE- PHONE AllD TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE SWlTCHBOARD AND ClRCUlT.

SPECIFICATTON forming part. of Letters Patent No. 668,044, dated February 12, 190i.

Application filed November 6, 1900. Serial No. 35,658. (No model.)

To (tu whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS L. GILMAN, residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol, and CHARLES H. HERZIG, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Telephone Switchboards and Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

To meet the demands of the subscribers to telephone-exchanges for quick and reliable service, various arrangements of circuits and forms of apparatus have been devised, which have materially added to the complexity of the switchboards at the central offices and increased the duties of the operators. For instance, many of the subscribers find the method of transacting business with their customers by means of the telephone to be so advantageous that they have deemed it necessary to be connected to the central office by several independent circuits, each of which is supplied at the substation with a complet-e outfit for signaling the central station, for receiving signals therefrom, and for conversation purposes. At the central station the circuits are multipled each to an independentlynumbered switch-socket on the several sections ot' the switchboard and are supplied at one of said sections with an answering-jack and a line-signal in the usual manner, precisely the same as though such circuit entered from a separate substation. In arranging the printed telephone directory of subscribers to a centra-l station it has been customary to group all of the circuits belonging to one substation by their designating-numbers under the name of the firm or corporation, and when a person wishes to call the firm by telephone one number after the other is given to the operator (if the first ones given are said to be busy) until a circuit is found which is free or disengaged. This is a tedious and trying all may be reported to be busy.

ator has to make tests with the regular switchsockets of the circuits, which are located, it may be, in different panels ofthe switchboardsection and at a distance from one another, precisely the same as though each circuit eX- tended to a separate substation. This condition is due to the fact that the circuits to any one subscriber are usually added one after the other as the necessities of the business render it expedient, and consequently they are given numbers widely separated from one another and may be upon several different panels of the switchboard, all of which tends to complicate the switchboard apparatus and increase the expense of operation.

The present invention relates to improvements in switchboard circuits and apparatus, and especially to means for obviating the defects previously referred to when a plurality of telephone-circuits extend from one substation to a central-station switchboard.

In carrying out the invention one of a plurality of circuits to one substation terminates at the switchboardin all respects as is usual. Its regular switch-socket is located according to its number, and its conductors are multiplied to switch-sockets on the se veralsections, and the circuit is provided on one section with an answering-jack and a line-signal; but each regular multiplied switch-socket of the circuit is provided with some visible designating configuration, color, or character upon the end thereof seen upon the front ot' the switchboard, which signifies to the operator that it is different from other regular switchsockets and is special to substations having more than one independent circuit to the switchboard.

Upon some part of the switchboard, preferably in a space extending the vlength of the switchboard between the banks of trunk or toll line switch-sockets and the banks of the regular substation switch-sockets, are arranged strips of sockets alternating with blank strips adapted to hold a number-card. This space we denominate the special space and the switch-sockets the special switchsockets. The remaining circuits of the plurality of circuits from the substation are not represented by switch-sockets upon the regular switch-socket space ofthe switchboard, but the conductors thereof are connected and multipled to special sockets on the special space, all of the said circuits being connected to sockets in proximity to each other in the same insulating-strip, and beneath the said switch-sockets upon the card on the blank strip is placed the same number that is given to the regular circuit referred to as located in a strip in the regular switch-socket space. Thus all of the circuits belonging to one substation have the same and identical number, one of them having its switch-sockets multipled with the regular or single substationcircuits in the banks at the upper part of the switchboard with an answering socket and signal, with the groups of such sockets and signals at the lower part of the switchboard, as usual, while the remainder of the circuits are multipled in the special space mentioned and may or not be provided with answering switch-sockets or with line-signals. Means are also provided whereby additional special switch -sockets representing other circuits to the substation can be added to those already located together in the special strip of such sockets and be embraced or included under the same common or identical number.

These improvements may be applied to the ordinary magneto substation-circuits or to the common battery substation-circuits and are so described herein, all of which we will now more particularly point out.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention, Figure l is an .elevation of two panels of a switchboard. Fig. 2 is a diagram representing a plurality of substation-circuits connected to two sections of a switchboard, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the switchboard.

In the ordinary construction of a telephone multiple switchboard there is, iirst, an upright part or frame divided into panels a a2, and, second, a low flat front part termed the operator-s table. (Not shown in the drawings. In the rear of the u riOht art areA s p s p the line conductors or the contin nations of the several substation-circuits hunched into small cables, and in each panel is a space B to be iilled with a series of insulating-strips d, each provided with switch-sockets @,having springterminals connected to the line conductors at the back of the-switchboard, and usually bei tween every tive such strips, which constiupper strip of the lower bank or division of the panel to the right, and so on to the lower division in every panel of the switchboard to and including,say,the ninth panel and returning to the extreme left panel again and to the upper strip of the second bank or division b, and so on to the ninth panel again until all of vt-he switch-sockets have been numbered. By

this system, where nine panels are used for a section of the switchboard, three operators maybe employed, each having charge of three panels, and as the substation-circuits are represented upon each section by one switchsocket each operator has before her the switchsockets of one-third of the circuits connected to the switchboard, and these switch-sockets are all located in the upper part or space B of the switchboard and may be called the regularA multipled switch-sockets.

In addition to the regular multiple switchboard-sockets each substation-circuit is supplied with an answering switch-socket and a line-signal, which are located upon the several panels of the switchboard in groups in a space E, extending the length of the switchboard, the switch-sockets being in an insulating-strip d5 and the correspondingline-signals in a strip d6, directly under the former strip, being thus in alternate strips, and as each operator may have the care of, say, one hundred answering-sockets and line-signals as many sections or multiples of the switchsockets are provided as results from the total number of the substation-circuits divided by three hundred.

Ordinarily between the spaces B and E is a space D, in which are multipled the insulating-strips of the trunk or toll line switchsockets d4 to be accessible to the operator in making trunk or toll connections.

While the special switch-sockets to which this invention relates may be placed in any convenient space upon the switchboard, it has been found in practice desirable to locate them in the space C between the regula-r multipled switch-sockets in the space B and the multipled trunk or toll switch-sockets in the space D, as shown in Fig. l, the special sockets being in the insulating-strips d2, between which are placed the plain strips d3, to the faces of which are removably secured paper strips or cards bearing numerals and separation lines or marks.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective View of the strip or card d3, which has a metal plate di secured to its front edge, with curving top and bottom edges adapted to hold a paper strip or card d8, upon which the numbers and division-marks t' are inscribed. The card can be readily removed from lthe plate (Z7.

'Referring to Fig. 2, which is a diagrammatic representation of the invention, A represents two sections l and 2 of a multiple switchboard, and B is the space containing the regular connecting or multipled switch-sockets e, and E is the space in which are located the answering switch-sockets and line-signals c4 IOO IIC

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ands. as the trunk or toll lines form no part of the invention, they are not represented in this figure. C is the special space devoted to the insulating-strips inclosing` the special mu ltipled switch-sockets about to be described. The ends ot' these sockets are rendered conspicuous by a special color or configuration to attract attention and bear a number, as do all of the switch-sockets in all the spaces of the switchboard. ln the present instance the sockets are designated by a double ring.

To illustrate the invention, we have shown several varieties of substation-circuits as connected to the switchboard A, of which S, S2, andS3,nun1bered,respectively700,l 500, and 17, are each provided with one circuit L, L2, and L3, respectively, the circuit L being` ot the magneto type and the circuits L2 and L3 of the common battery type, and are each provided with the regular terminal switch-sockets e e e upon sections l and 2 ot the space B of the switchboard, and each socket is marked by its substation-number, and the said circuits have extensions to the space E, at which they are provided with answering switch-sockets c1 and line-signals s upon one of the sections l and 2 of the switchboard, all in the usual manner. Substation S1 has three circuits L4, L5, and L5, extending to the central station G, and is numbered 650. All ofthe circuits are of the common battery type, The circuit L1 is represented upon the sections l and 2 of the switchboard by the regular switch-sockets e c upon the space Band is provided with au answering switch-socket. c1 and line-signal s upon sec tion l ot' the switchboard-space E, while the circuits L5 and LG have special terminal switchsockets e2 upon sections l and 2 ot the special space C ot the switchboard and are represented by the common number 650, both ot the switchsockets being located side by side in one strip d2, and the number G50 is placed directly under the said sockets on the strip d, marks t' being made on said strip di1ou each side ot' the number to indicate how niany'in the group ot' special contiguous switch-sockets are embraced or included with said number. These circuits L5 and L have extensions to the space E and are supposed to be represented there, as shown of circuit L1, by separate answering switch-sockets and line-signals, which, however, are not shown in the drawings for the sake ot' clearness. Substation S5, which is numbered 6292, is provided with three circuits to the central station LT, LS, and L, the former circuit having1 a magneto calling-generator, and its conductors are lnultipled by the regular switch-sikkels c e on the two sections ot' the switchboard in the space B, and has an extension to the space E and is provided upon the second section of the switchboard .vith the answering switch-socket e1 and the electromagnctic line-signal 3, the latter adapted to be opera ted by the said generator. The other circuits LS and L9 have common battery substation apparatus, and their conductors are multipled to the sections l and 2 of the special space C of the switchboard by the switch-sockets e2, which are identied with the substation-number 682, and the substation SG, having the number 26, has two circuits L10 and L11, both provided with common battery substation apparatus connecting with the central station, the former circuit L1O being represented upon the two sections of the space B by the regular switchsockets ee. This circuit representsacertain variety of telephone-circuits provided with a regular switch-socket upon the space B and adapted to be called from the central sta-- tion, but cannot call the central station, as it is not provided with a line-signal or an answering switch-socket, and the second circuit L11 is represented upon the special space C upon the sections l and 2 of the switchboard by the special switch-sockets e2 e2, but has no extension to the answering-space E and is in the same category as the circuit L10. Its call-bell may be rung from the central station; but no call can be made to the central station.

In the foregoingr description it has been our intention to sh-ow the adaptability of our invention to the Various kinds of circuits and Various types of substation service which are in use at the present time and to illustrate how Various types ot' circuits may be combined in one substation in order that its feasibility may be demonstrated, as it is common in many switchboards to have magneto and common battery substation-circoits centering thereto.

In the operation ort' the invention whenever au operator receives a call for connection with a substation-say for substation No. (S50-to ascertain whether the circuit Wanted is engaged or not she touches with the callingplug P2ot' the cord-circuit heilig used the ring` or end of the regular switch-socket of No. 650 in the space l, and if the circuit tests not busy inserts the plug into the socket; but if the test shows the circuit to be engaged instead ot` informing the calling subscriber ot' the tact, as is customary when but one line connects with the wanted substation, she, noticing the irnlicating color or configuration about the end of the switch-socket, knows that there are one or more other circuits to the saine substation having special switchsockets in the special space C of the switchboard, and therefore looks into the said special space for thel samcnumbcr that the regular socket bears and makes a test with the ring of the socket immediately over and included by said number and it' notbusy inserts the plug in said socket. lf there are more than one switch-socket. included by the substation-nuinber and the til-st one proves to be engaged, the remainingI sock ets Vare tested until one is found disengaged, unless, indeed, all are found to be engaged, when thc fact will be announced to the calling sub- IIO sc'riber, The operator is assisted in finding a number in the special space C by the plates c2 to the left of each bank of the strips. In Fig. l the panels are each shown as inclosing specialswitch-sockets in multiples of six hundred. As all of the special switch-sockets in the space C belonging to one substation are in the same strip and close to each other, by this method of connection the operator has all the means of connection with a substation in a condensed space and can proceed withher work with confidence and make the tests and connection in the easiest and most expeditious manner.

In each special space C are one or more strips of unoccupied or unconnected switchsockets, and numeral-strips are left for the' `may have their special switch-sockets together in the same strip in the said space and that new special circuits may be provided with switch-sockets.

A special feature of the invention is that numbered multipled switch-sockets can be transferred from one panelof asection of the switchboard to another without changing the number. This cannot be done with the multipled switch-sockets in the regular space B, as the arrangement of the numbers is liXed in relation to the switch-sockets. The same thing can, of course, be done with switch-socketsin the answering grou ps in the space E g but these switch-sockets are not multipled. A great c advantage is thus provided for, as the multipled number can be transferred to other panels of the section when one panel becomes crowded or when a large number of circuits are allotted to one substation and it becomes advisable to rearrange the switch-sockets in any panel. X in Fig. l represents the distributing-board, provided with connectors 00 062, to one side of which, 0o, the conductors of the substation-circuits are permanently connected, While to the other side x2 are permanently connected the conductors extending to the switch-sockets on the switchboard, and between the connectorsgr and x2 are the bridlewires 4. It will be seen that if substation S was to loe represented by multipled switchsockets upon another part of the switchboard in the regular space B--say to the sockets now connected with substation S2-its number would be changed by such transfer from No. 700 to No. 1,500,and the change would be made at the distributing-board X by connecting the bridle-wires y y from the connectors w w of circuit L with the connectors w2 102, as shown in dotted lines, to which are connected the conductorsextending to switchsockets No. 1,500; but if any of the switchsockets in the special -space C were to be transferred to another panel there would be no change in the number. Say that sockets e2, representing circuits L5 andl L6 from substation Sl, having the common number 650, were to be moved from their present location or any of the circuits represented in said space were to be represented upon another panel of the section. The transfer would be made at the distributing-board, as rusual; but the old number can be carried to the sockets in the new location and placed upon the paper strip in proximity thereto, so that the sockets in the space C may, in the sense referred to, be denominated movable sock-- on the switchboard between the regular switch-sockets and the'answering-sockets and line-signals, as set forth.

2. Inatelephonic central-station switching system, regular switch-sockets for a portion of the substation-circuits in a certain horizontal space on the upper part of a certain horizontal space ou each section of the switchboard; and additional or answering switchsockets for said circuits in groups in the lower part of said sections, with line-signals for said circuits associated with said answering switch-sockets; with special switch-sockets for another portion of the substation-circuits in a special horizontal space on the switchboard, between the regular switch-sockets and the said answering switch-sockets and said line-signals, and additional or answering switch-sockets for the said circuits in the said groups in said sections with line-signals for said circuits associated with said answering switch-sockets, as set forth.

3. In a telephonie central-station switching system, regular multiple switch-sockets for a portion of the substation-circuits in a certain space on each section of the switchboard, some of the said switch-sockets being distinguished from others by a certain color or configuration; and additional or answering switch-sockets for said circuits in groups in said sections, with line-signals for said circuits associated With said answering switchsockets; with special multiple switch-sockets for another portion of the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, between the regular switch-sockets and the said answering switch-sockets and said line-signals, one or more of the special multiple switch-sockets having a common or identical number with one of said distinguished regular multiple switch-sockets, as set forth.

4. In a telephonie central-station switching system, regular multiple switch-sockets fora portion of the substation-circuits in a certain IOO IIO

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space on each section of the switchboard, some of said switch-sockets being distinguished from others by a certain color or conguration; and additional or answering switch-sockets for said circuits in groups in said sections, with line-signals for said circuits associated with said answering switchsockets; with special multiple-switch-sockets for another portion of the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, between the regular switch-sockets and the said answering switch-sockets and said line-signals, one or more of the said special multiple switch-sockets having a common or identical number with one of said distinguished regular multiple switch-sockets, and additional answering switch-sockets for the second portion of substation-circuits in the said groups in said sections, with line-signals associated therewith, as set forth.

Inatelephoniccircuitandswitching system, two or more independent circuits extending from a substation to a central station, each of the circuits provided at the substation with calling and telephone apparatus, one of said circuits having switch-sockets specially distinguished by color or con figuration from other switch-socketsupon the regular switchsockct space of the switchboard, and with an answering switch-socket and a line-signal in a group of such sockets and signals upon a certain space of the switchboard; while the other circuit or circuits are each provided with special switch-sockets contiguous to each other upon a special space of the switchboard, the said speemily-distinguished switch-sockets and the special contiguous switch-sockets having an identical or common number, as set forth.

t5. In a telephone circuit and switching system, two or more independent. circuit-s extending from a substation to a central station, each of the circuits provided at the substation with call-sending and call-receiving apparatus, one of said circuits having switch sockets specially distinguished by color or configuration `from the other switch-sockets upon the regular switch-socket space of the switchboard, and with an answering switch-socket and a line-signal in a group of such sockets and signals upon a certain space of the switchboard; while the other circuit or circuits are each provided with special switch-sockets contiguous to each other upon a special space of the switchboard, and may be provided with an answering switch-socket and a line-signal in one of said groups, the specially-distinguished switch -sockets and the special contiguous switch-sockets having an identical or common number, as set forth.

7. In a telephone central-station switching system, regular multiple switch-sockets connected to a portion of the su bstation-circuits, in a certain space on each section of the switchboard, some of the said switch-sockets being distinguished from others by a certain color or configuration; and additional or answering switch-sockets for said circuits in groups in said sections, with line-signals for said circuits associated with said answering switchsockets; with special multiple switch-sockets connected to another portion of the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, between the regularswitch-sockets and the said answering switch-sockets, and said line-signals, one or more of the special contiguous multiple switch-sockets having a cornmon or identical number with one of the said distinguished regular multiple switch-sockets; and unconnected special switch-sockets in said special space adapted for connection with substation-circuits, whereby additional sockets may be added to any group of contiguous switch sockets already associated with a designating numeral or number without disadvantage to or interference wit h other groups of contiguous switch sockets associated under other designating numerals or numbers, and whereby the operatoris enabled to perform the testing of the several circuits in each group associated 'under the numeral or number of any substation, with great facility and celerity, as set forth.

8. In a telephone circuit and switching system, two or more independent circuits ext-ending from a substation to a central station, each of the circuits provided at the substation with call-sending and call-receiving apparatus, one of said circuits connected to switch-sockets specially distinguished by color or configuration from the other switch-sockets upon the regular switch-socket space of the switchboard, and connected also with an answering switch-socket and a line-signal in a group of such sockets and signals upon a certain space of the switchboard; while the other circuit or circuits are each connected with special switch-sockets contiguous to each other upon a special space of the switchboard, the said specially-distinguished switch-sockets and the special contiguous switch-sockets having a common or identical number; and unconnected special sockets in said special space adapted for connection with additional circuits from the said substation, whereby additional sockets may be added to the group of contiguous switch-sockets associated with the designating numeral or number of the said substation without disadvantage to or interference with other groups of contiguous switch-sockets associated under the designating numerals or numbers of the other substations, as set forth.

9. In a telephone central-station switching system, regular switch-sockets fora portion of the substation-circuits in a certain space on one part of each section of the switchboard each designated by a certain number or numeral; with special switch-sockets foranother portion of the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, one or more of said switch-sockets contiguous to one another having the same and identical number ith one of the said regular switch-sockets, the circuits IOO IIO

of the said contiguous switch-sockets and that of the regular switch-sockets terminating in the same substation, as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a telephone central-station switching system, regular switch-sockets for a portion of the substation-circuits in a certain space on one part of each section of the switchboard, and additional or answering switch-sockets for said circuits in groups in another part of said sections, one of each of said regular switch-sockets and answering-sockets being designated by a certain number or numeral, and line signals for said circuits associated with said answering switch-sockets; and special switch-sockets for another portion of the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, one or more of said switchsockets contiguous to one another having the same and identical numberwith one of the said regular switch-sockets, as and for the purposes set forth.

ll. In a telephone central-station switching system, regular switch-sockets for a portion of the substation-circuits in a certain space on one part of each section of the switchboard, each designated by a certain fixed number or numeral; with special switch-sockets for another portion ot' the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, one or more of the said special switch-sockets contiguous to one another, having the same and identical number or numeral with one of said regular switch-sockets, which number or numeral is adapted to be movable from one or more specitied special switch-sockets to other specified special switch sockets in the said special space, combined with means for transferring the substation circuit or circuits connected Awith any such specified special switch-sockets number or numeral; with special switch-sockets normally without numbers or numerals adapted to constitute the terminals of other telephone-circuits, with means for designating one or more such special switch-sockets with the fixed number of one of said regular switch-sockets when they are connected with circuits which terminate at the same substation with the circuit of said regular switchsocket; whereby contiguous special switchsockets may be added to the said number or numeral, or, all of the circuits represented by the said special switch-sockets may be changed to other special switch-sockets and have the same designating-number, as set forth.

13. In a telephone central-station switching system, regular switch-sockets for a portion of the substation-circuits in a certain space on one part of each section of the switchboard, each designated by a certain fixed number or numeral; with special switch-sockets for another portion of the substation-circuits in a special space on the switchboard, one or more of said special switch-sockets contiguous to one another having the same and identical number or numeral with one of said regular switch-sockets, which number or numeral is adapted to correlate any one or more contiguous speciiied special switch-sockets in the said'special space, with any speeiiie'd regular switch sockets; combined with means for transferring the substation circuit orcircuits connected with any such specified special switch-sockets to other special switch-sockets upon the same switchboard-section, the circuits of the said contiguous switch-sockets and that of the said regular switch-socket terminating at the same substation, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 20th day of October, 1900.

FRANCIS L. GILMAN. CHARLES H. HERZIG.

Witnesses:

I. H. FARNHAM, J. E. LYNCH. 

